FNB opens Business Innovation Awards 2016

12 Oct 2015

FNB Business, supported by Endeavor South Africa is proud to announce the re-opening of entries for the FNB Business Innovation Awards for 2016. Now in their second year, the awards are designed to accelerate already successful and innovative businesses with the highest potential to grow onto the world stage.

FNB opens Business Innovation Awards 2016

According to the CEO of FNB Business, Mike Vacy-Lyle, accelerated economic growth in South Africa will come from gazelles' types of businesses which promote job creation and have the potential of significant scalability.

"The FNB Business Innovation Awards give these businesses a chance to unleash their full potential by demonstrating real innovation and changing the way an industry operates locally and/or internationally. Endeavor's extensive experience in working with high-impact businesses is perfectly complemented by FNB's commitment to innovation and supporting scalable businesses", said Vacy-Lyle.

Social responsibility, environmental sustainability, brand, reputation, quality of governance, stakeholder relations and goodwill are factors that will be reviewed for the selection criteria.

The focus for the awards will be on businesses that are able to meet the following key areas:

Development impact: Exhibit high-growth potential and the capacity to add substantial economic as well as strong potential to create a number of high-value jobs;

Business Innovation: Demonstrate real innovation that has the potential to change the way an industry operates locally and/or internationally;

Fit with FNB and Endeavor: Be interested in accepting advice and support from FNB and Endeavor as well as contributing to the Endeavor network.

"Endeavor is excited about the collaboration with FNB and the profiling and recognition that FNB Business Innovation Awards has brought to some of South Africa's most exciting founder-led scale-ups. We believe that these entrepreneurs are South Africa's entrepreneurial role models. Through the global exposure and support of the Endeavor Network our hope is that these entrepreneurs will achieve their big dreams and continue to grow, evolve and keep pushing the boundaries of business innovation while also contributing and paying it forward for the next generation," added Catherine Townshend, Managing Director of Endeavor South Africa.

The entries for the FNB Business Innovation Awards opened on 1 October 2015. Entries can be submitted online via the website www.fnbbusinessinnovationawards.co.za. The closing date for entries is 31 January 2016 and the winner will be announced in June 2016.

"As the winner of the inaugural FNB Business Innovation Award, I was selected from a highly competitive group of entrepreneurs who were shortlisted after rounds of interviews with South Africa's leading business personalities and given an opportunity to gain some incredible and valuable business insights from world renowned business leaders at Endeavor's prestigious International Selection Panel (ISP) in San Francisco," said Bruce Morgan CEO of GreatSoft CRM.

"The FNB Business Innovation Awards are an extension of the Bank's commitment to addressing modern business and economic challenges. We challenge established businesses to enter the Awards to inspire them to think bigger," concludes Vacy-Lyle.